Carton sealer rollers



Sept. 19, 1961 J. B. BELLAMY, JR 3,000,163

CARTON SEALER ROLLERS Filed May 21, 1956 1 INVENTOR. 4'

Ylfomv B. BELLA M Y, JR B ATTORNEK United States Patent l 3,000,163 CARTON SEALER ROLLERS John B. Bellamy, Jr., 222 Crescent Road, San Anselmo, Calif. Filed May 21, 1956, Ser. No. 586,242 8 Claims. (Cl. 53-387) This invention, in general, relates to the manufacture of fibre or paper shipping cases or cartons and the like, hereinafter referred to generally as cartonsv More particularly, the invention relates to mechanism in machines for sealing cartons which maintain the rigidity of the carton during the sealing operation, thus insuring against likelihood of 'unsealing, as well as reducing the possibility of leakage or sifting of contents from the carton to a minimum.

Those skilled in the art of producing fibre shipping boxes, cases and cartons or the like have continually been confronted with a variety of problems including those of maintaining the flaps of the carton in proper relation to one another during a period requisite for fixing or setting of an applied adhesive or, in other words, of preventing the outward springing of the carton flaps which disturbs the relationship between the flaps, as well as such other problems as avoidance of crushing the carton during the sealing operation and of avoiding the dislodgment of inner flaps or cars normally utilized to reduce likelihood of leakage or sifting of the contents from the carton. The present invention is directed to the provision of improved mechanism obviating substantially all of the inherent disadvantages, as well as appreciably reducing the problems encountered in the use of prior carton sealing machines.

A primary object of the invention is to provide improved carton sealer rollers in a carton sealing machine which afford appreciably increased eifectiveness of the formed seals by preventing the bulging out or springing out of carton flaps after sealing operations.

Another important object of my present invention is to provide improved carton sealer rollers of the indicated nature which are additionally characterized by their capacity to form beads at the top and/or bottom of a carton thereby rendering increased rigidity thereto.

A still further object of the invention is to provide improved carton sealer rollers of the aforementioned character which provide an interlock between inner flaps or ears of a carton and the formed beads thereon thereby to insure against leakage or sifting of contents from the carton.

Other objects of the invention, together with some of the advantageous features thereof, will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment, as well as certain modified embodiments, of the invention which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that I am not to be limited to the precise embodiments shown, nor to the precise arrangements of the various parts thereof, as my invention, as defined in the appended claims, can be embodied in a plurality and variety of forms.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a carton sealer illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention installed on the sealer, this view showing the improved rollers for effecting permanent bottom sealing of a carton.

FIG. 2 is a composite elevational view of a carton sealer with a preferred embodiment of the invention installed thereon, this view showing the improved rollers for effecting permanent top and bottom sealing of a carton.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a carton sealer at the location therein of the installed preferred embodiment of more Patented Sept. 19, 1961 the invention, this view showing in sectional elevation a carton with formed beads thereon at top and bottom.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary detail of the adjustable mounting for a preferred embodiment of my invention as applied to the bottom of a carton, with a carton illustrated in fragmentary view in dotted lines.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational sectional view of a combined roller and bushing constituting one unit of a modified embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is an end view of the unit illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a modified embodiment of one of the elements of the present invention.

In its preferred form, the improved carton sealer rollers of my present invention preferably comprise, as applied for sealing either the top or the bottom of a carton or both the top and bottom thereof, a pair of rollers mounted for rotation on both sides of rails along which a succession of cartons are moved; each of said pairs of rollers including a roller arranged for engaging one side of each carton adjacent the bottom thereof, and a roller arranged for engaging the bottom of the carton adjacent said one side thereof, the rollers engaging the sides of the carton being undercut to accommodate for, as well as to limit, the extent of beads formed on the carton at the juncture of the sides with the bottom by the engaging rollers. As applied to a top carton sealer, the embodiment is the same as for the bottom sealer, except that one roller of each of said pairs of rollers is arranged for engaging the top of the carton, rather than the bottom thereof. A modified embodiment of the invention, as applied to both bottom and top sealers, comprises a roller having a straight periphery, and an outer bushing fitted onto said roller; said bushing having tapered outer surfaces. A further embodiment of the invention, as applied to side-engaging rollers, comprises double-cut peripheries of which one periphery is undercut to a greater extent than the other periphery of the roller, whereby said roller may be reversed for use in either of two positions to accommodate for larger or smaller beads on the cartons at the junctures of the sides and bottoms thereof or at the junctures of the sides and the tops thereof, as the case may be.

As particularly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings, the preferred embodiment of the present invention is installed on the opposite rails 11 and 12 of a carton sealing machine along which a succession of cartons 13 are caused to be moved by suitable conveying mechanism such as endless chains 14; such rollers or group of rollers being installed not only in conjunction with bottom rails 11 and 12, as shown in FIG. 1, but also in conjunction with upper rails 16 and 17, as shown in FIG. 2, so that the top flaps of cartons 13 which are moved in succession along the rails 16 and 17 by means of the conveyor chains 14 can be sealed effectively.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide a group of carton-engaging rollers which are arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the rails 11 and 12, as well as the rails 16 and 17, if the rollers are to be employed for both bottom and top carton sealing. As shown particularly in FIG. 3 of the annexed drawings, and with particular attention to the group of rollers employed for effecting the sealing of the bottoms of the cartons, I provide at one side of the carton a pair of rollers 21 and 22 of which the roller '21 is a side-engaging roller and the roller 22 is a bottom-engaging roller. At the opposite side of the carton and adjacent the bottom thereof, I provide a similar pair of rollers including sideengaging roller 23 and bottom-engaging roller 24. As indicated, the side-engaging rollers 21 and 23 are mounted for rotation on vertically-disposed stub shafts 26 and 27, respectively, shown in dotted lines, to permit rotation of such rollers about vertical axes; the shafts 26 and 27 being secured in positions in suitable blocks 28 and 29, respectively, which are secured to the outside of the rails Hand 12, respectively, see FIG. 1. The bottom-engaging rollers 22 and 24 are freely mounted for rotation on horizontally-disposed stub shafts 31 and 32, respectively, as indicated by the dotted line showings in FIG. 3, for rotation about horizontal axes; the shafts 31 and 32, likewise, being secured in positions in the blocks 28 and 29 at right angles to the shafts 26 and 27. It is to be observed that the shafts 26 and 27 are so positioned in the blocks 28 and 29 that the rollers 21 and 23 snugly engage the sides of each passing carton adjacent to the bottom thereof while the shafts 31 and 32 are so positioned in the blocks 28 and 29 that the rollers 22 and 24 snugly engage the bottom of each passing carton adjacent to the opposite sides thereof. As indicated in FIG. 4 of the drawings, each of the blocks 28 and 29 are formed with an elongated opening therein, designated 33 and 34, respectively, to permit longitudinal movement of the blocks toward and away from the rails 11 and 12 in order that adjustment of the side engaging rollers 21 and 23 in relation to a carton passing along the rails may be made and thus accommodate for narrow and wide cartons, as the case may be; the securing bolts 35 for the blocks 28 and 29 extending through these formed elongated openings 33 and 34.

While not necessarily used simultaneously with the bottom rollers, I provide an additional group of rollers adjacent to the top rails 16 and 17 of the carton sealing machine to effect permanent top carton sealing where the top flaps of the carton are applied with an adhesive or an adhesively-coated tape is laid thereupon for sealing the carton; such top group of rollers being similar to the bottom group except that pressure is applied thereby to the top and the two sides rather than to the bottom and the two sides of the carton. As shown in FIG. 3, the top group of rollers include a pair of side-engaging rollers 36 and 37 which are freely mounted for rotation on stub shafts 38 and 39, respectively, which are fixedlysecured in the blocks 41 and 42, respectively, secured to the outside of each of the upper rails 16 and 17, and also include a pair of top-engaging rollers 43 and 44 which are freely mounted for rotation on stub shafts 46 and 47 fixedly-secured in the blocks 41 and 42, respectively. This arrangement of the top group of rollers permits rotation of the side-engaging top rollers 36 and 37 about vertical axes and the rotation of the top-engaging rollers 43 and 44 about horizontal axes; the shafts 38, 39, 46 and 47 being so positioned in the blocks 41 and 42 that the side-engaging rollers 36 and 37 snugly engage the sides of each passing carton adjacent to the top thereof while the rollers 43 and 44 engage the passing carton adjacent the opposite sides thereof and, of course, on the tops thereof. While not shown, the blocks 41 and 42 also are formed with elongated slots through which their securing bolts, not shown, are passed to permit longitudinal shifting of the blocks toward and away from the rails 16 and 17 in order to compensate for narrow and Wide cartons that may be passed along the rails. It is to be understood that washers, not shown, may be interposed between the bottom rollers and blocks 28 and 29, as well as between the top rollers and the blocks 41 and 42 to effect some slight adjustments of these rollers in relation to the cartons.

In accordance with the present invention, each roller 7 of the group of bottom rollers 21, 22, 23 and 24, as well as each of the group of top rollers 36, 37, 43 and 44 is preferably formed with tapered ends in order that increased pressure may be applied by the rollers at all meeting surfaces of the rollers with the sides, top and bottom of the passing cartons. Moreover, each of the side-engaging rollers of the bottom and top groups of rollers, namely, rollers 21, 23, 36 and 37 is formed with an undercut periphery, as indicated at 51, which is made at one side of the periphery, as clearly shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings; the width of the undercut depending upon the thickness of the carton to be sealed. This undercut section 51 of the periphery of each of the sideengaging rollers serves to form beads 52 and 53 at the junctures of the sides and bottom of the carton as well as the sides and top of the carton, respectively, and thus lend rigidity to the carton sides. In addition, these undercut peripheries of the indicated rollers serve as limiting means to prevent undue bead formation on the carton sides.' The provision of the beads52 and 53 on the sides of the carton being sealed also provides inner recesses .56 and 57'at the bottom and the top of the carton andthe .juncture of the top and bottom with the sides for receiving the lateral extremities of inner flaps 58 which are usually included in the cartons to'prevent sifting of the contents thereof such beads 52 and 53 effecting an interlocking of the inserts in operative position as clearly indicated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The provision of the beads 52 and 53, plus the applied pressure exerted by the side and bottom-engaging rollers prevents bulging of the sides and thus prevents dislodgment of the outer flaps while undergoing sealing and insures an elfective sealing of the cartons under all conditions.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 of the annexed drawings, I have illustrated a modified embodiment of carton-engaging roller, designated generally by the reference numeral 45 and consisting of a composite body of an inner roller member 25" having a substantially straight periphery and an outer bushing 25a having one tapered end. This modified type of roller may be substituted whenever desired in lieu of any of the side-engaging rollers or bottom and top-engaging rollers of the group of rollers illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

A still further modified embodiment of carton-engaging roller is illustrated in FIG. 7 of the annexed drawings and is designated generally by the reference numeral 25. In this modification, the periphery of the roller is undercut at both sides thereof to afford a relatively wide undercut portion at one side of the bushing and a relatively narrow undercut portion at the opposite side of the roller. This modified type of roller may also be substituted whenever desired in lieu of any of the side-engaging rollers or top and bottom-engaging'rollers illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings and is a convenient type of roller to be employed where the cartons being sealed are of varying thicknesses. With the wider undercut portion of the modified roller 25 shown in FIG. 7 at the bottom and utilizing the same as a side-engaging roller, it can be observed that a larger bead 52 may be formed on each passing carton and this is advantageous with cartons having increased thickness of side walls. Conversely, if the carton has a relatively thin side wall, the narrower undercut portion of the periphery of the modified embodiment of the roller 25 shown in FIG. 7 can be placed at the bottom and a smaller head 52 formed on the carton side.

While I have shown and described all of the rollers of the bottom and top groups of rollers as being mounted so as to idle freely, these individual rollers can be driven by any suitable mechanical or electrical means. The positioning and grouping of the rollers as illustrated takes most of the spring out of the flaps of the cartons, thus permit-ting effective top and bottom sealing and insuring the pressing of inner flaps 58 tightly against the inner face of the glued flaps of the cartons being sealed.

It is to be understood that the appended claims are to be accorded a range of equivalents commensurate in scope with the advance made over the prior art.

I claim:

1. Carton sealer rollers comprising a group of rollers mounted and arranged in pairs wherein one pair of said rollers is mounted on and adjacent one rail of a carton sealing mac ine and another pair is mounted on and adjacent an opposite rail of the carton sealing machine; said rails permitting movement of a succession of cartons to be sealed past said group of rollers each of said rollers having tapered end faces for exerting increased pressure on the cartons at the meeting surfaces of the cartons with the rollers; one roller of each of said pairs being mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and being adapted to engage at a tapered end face thereof with one side of each passing carton adjacent the bottom thereof, and the other roller of each of said pairs of rollers being mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and being adapted to engage at a tapered end face thereof with the bottom of each passing carton adjacent to a side thereof.

2. Carton sealer rollers comprising, in combination with a pair of spaced rails of a carton sealing machine over which a succession of cartons to be sealed may be moved, a first pair of rollers mounted for rotation on and adjacent to one of said pair of rails; each of the rollers of said first pair of rollers having tapered end faces for exerting increased pressure on the cartons at the meeting surfaces of the cantons with the rollers, one of said rollers of said first pair of rollers disposed to engage at a tapered end face thereof with one side of each of a succession of cartons moved along said rails, and the other roller of said first pair of rollers disposed to engage at a tapered end face thereof with the bottom of each of a succession of cartons adjacent to said one side thereof, and a second pair of rollers mounted for rotation on and adjacent to the other of said pair of rails; each of said second pair of rollers having tapered end faces and one roller of said second pair of rollers being disposed to engage at a tapered end face thereof with an opposite side of each of a succession of cartons moved along said rails adjacent to the bottom of the carton, and the other roller of said second pair of rollers being disposed to engage the bot tom of each of a succession of cartons moved along said rails adjacent to said opposite side of each carton.

3. Carton sealing rollers as defined in claim 2, and means for moving each of said first and said second pairs of said rollers towards and away from an adjacent rail.

4. Carton sealing rollers as defined in claim 2, and means on one roller of each of said first and said second pair of rollers for forming beads on the sides of each of a succession of cartons moved along said rails, said means consisting of an undercut periphery at the inner end of said one roller of each of said pairs.

5. Carton sealing rollers as defined in claim 2, and means on at least one end of the periphery of one roller of each of said first and said second pair of rollers for forming inner recesses in each carton of a succession of cartons moved along said rails to receive and lock within such car-ton an inner flap for preventing content sifting from each carton. I

6. Carton sealer rollers comprising, in combination with a pair of spaced rails over which a succession of cartons may be passed, a group of rollers mounted for rotation on each of said rails and arranged in pairs adjacent each of said rails, a tapered inner end face on each of said rollers of each of said pairs of rollers for exerting increased pressure on the cartons at the meeting surfaces of the cartons with the rollers; one roller of each of said pairs of rollers being adapted to engage at its tapered inner end face with one side of each passing carton, and an undercut periphery on each of said one rollers of each of said pairs of rollers adjacent to its inner end for forming an inner recess on each passing carton in which an inner insert of each carton can be interlocked.

7. In combination with a pair of spaced rails over which a succession of cartons may be passed, a group of rollers mounted for rotation and so arranged in pairs that an inner end face on each of said rollers of each of said pairs of rollers exerts pressure on the passing cartons at the meeting surfaces of the cartons with the rollers; one roller of each of said pairs of rollers being adapted to engage at its inner end face with one side of each passing carton adjacent to the meeting surface of each passing carton with the inner end of the other roller of each of said pairs of rollers, and an undercut periphery on each of said one rollers of each of said pairs of rollers adjacent to its inner end face for forming beads on the sides of each of a succession of cartons moved along said rails.

8. In combination with a pair of spaced rails over which a succession of cartons may be passed, a group of rollers mounted for rotation and so arranged in pairs that an inner end face on each of said rollers of each of said pairs of rollers exerts pressure on the passing cartons at the meeting surfaces of the cartons with the rollers; one roller of each of said pairs of rollers being adapted to engage at its inner end face with one side of each passing carton adjacent to the meeting surface of each passing carton with the inner end face of the other roller of each of said pairs of rollers, and an undercut periphery on each of said one rollers of each of said pairs of rollers adjacent to its inner end for forming an inner recess on each passing carton in which an inner flap of each carton can be interlocked.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,390,059 Peet Sept. 6, 1921 2,266,054 Lowey et al Dec. 16, 1941 2,402,548 Guyer June 25, 1946 

